The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1887-07-02
OLIVER CROMWELL.

People of to-day must of necessity
realize that we are almost incapable
of judging the motives which prompt
ed our hero to act as he did, for we
have not the same causes to prompt
such actions now, nor Is it Just to say
with Charles the First, "Oliver Crom-
we'll Is Il traitor" without first consider
ing the motives and causes that prompt
ed his actions. Even if these acts
were in defiance of the king, still
Judging from the enthusiasm which he
put into his works all must concede
that he was doing what he considered
best for the good Of his country.
The English under Charles / were
ruled entirely by him, Parliament had
no voice, at least no controlling voice
when its wishes were opposed to the
king, and he, influenced by the I'M
principaled buckingham, finally dis
missed the Parliament entirely and
ruled for eleven years an absolute
monarch Although wise king i'll
many respects he sacrificed everything
To the church OF England.
In the midst of these scenes we find
Oliver Cromwell, man of deep i'm
pulses and great originality, Il man
made up OF contradictions, slow and
impatient, trustworthy and faithlcss,
but with a never failing determination
to press forward regardless Of the
obstacles in his path, and from the
first his ambition was to overthrow the
rule Of Charles the First and make it
a government OF the people.
10 do this he felt his strength was
in being a champion Of the evil and
personal law as well as a tolerant of
all religions.
Cromwell was a brilliant general
and had the most perfectly trained
army ever known and each or his sol
dicrs respected and admired him
by series Of well conducted plans
he turned this army against the King
and this finally resulted iii his over
throw and death and the establishment
OF a republic or commonwealth.
Ireland and Scotland were not salts
fed with this but by tour with his
armies, and few battles Cromwell
brought these countries into subsection
and tor twelve years the three coun-
tries were governed by this new Parii-
ament, which was the highest legitimate
authority in the land.
a disagreement tinall y arose be-
tween the army leaders and Parliament
AIRY leaders, the nation at large did not
care for Il commonwealth or religious
liberty Parliament could not pretend
to represent the public sentiment OF
the country and still they refused to
make way for a new one to be chosen,
and for this reason Cromwell entered
the assembly and by Il powerful speech
caused the whole body TO be removed
and in It's place put a council of forty
persons with himself at the head. lie
refused to be crowned, but called him
self Lord Protector; and as the gen
eraI of Il victorious army, invested with
the highest civil authority, he could
WELD Il more powerful influence than
if he had Worn crown, for the
civil authority depended on the mill
tary.
Cromwell could not agree with his
chiefs In the navy but he gave it its
strongest impulses and its reputation
rose IN all parts Of the world.
The coasts of Europe toward the
Atlantic and Mediterranean felt the
weight OF English arms and were con
troued largely by them. 1t was even
said Cromwell carried the KEY Of the
Continent at his girdle
SO TAR as home government was con
cerned Cromwell possessed two quail
ties, a certain leniency in matters OF
principle, but firm in the exercise OF
authority. Had he allowed the zeal
of the army to run Its course uncheck-
ed everything would have been in
terrible confusion but as it was, he
united the three kingdoms and ruled
them by a uniform principle.
lie was now supreme; in December
1868 he was made Lord Protector OF
the three kingdoms. His rise was